Coming to report progress?
Yes, father,and to talk over things in general.
The slim youthhe could hardly be deemed more than a lad tried to assume an easy position, with his elbow on the corner of the mantelpiece; but his feet shuffled, and his eyes strayed vacantly. It cost him an effort to begin his customary account of how things were going with him at the shipping-office. In truth, there was nothing particular to report; there never was anything particular; but Horace always endeavoured to show that he had made headway, and to-night he spoke with a very pronounced optimism.
Very well, my boy, said his father. If you are satisfied, I shall try to be the same. Have you your pipe with you?At your age I hadnt begun to smoke, and I should advise you to be moderate; but well have a whiff together, if you like.
Ill go and fetch it, Horace replied impulsively.
He came back with a rather expensive meerschaum, recently purchased.
Hollo! luxuries! exclaimed his father.
It kept catching my eye in a window,and at last I couldnt resist. Tobaccos quite a different thing out of a pipe like this, you know.
No one, seeing them thus together, could have doubted of the affectionate feeling which Stephen Lord entertained for his son. It appeared in his frequent glances, in the relaxation of his features, in a certain abandonment of his whole frame, as though he had only just begun to enjoy the evenings repose.
Ive something rather important to speak about, father, Horace began, when he had puffed for a few minutes in silence.
Oh? Whats that?
You remember telling me, when I was one and twenty, that you wished me to work my way up, and win an income of my own, but that I could look to you for help, if ever there was need of it?
Yes, Stephen remembered. He had frequently called it to mind, and wondered whether it was wisely said, the youths character considered.
What of that? he returned, still genially. Do you think of starting a new line of ocean steamships?
Well, not just yet, Horace answered, with an uncertain laugh. I have something more moderate in view. I may start a competition with the P. and O. presently.
Lets hear about it.
I dare say it will surprise you a little. The fact is, II am thinking of getting married.
The father did not move, but smoke ceased to issue from his lips, and his eyes, fixed upon Horace, widened a little in puzzled amusement.
Thinking of it, are you? he said, in an undertone, as one speaks of some trifle. No harm in thinking. Too many people do it without thinking at all.
Im not one of that kind, said Horace, with an air of maturity which was meant to rebuke his fathers jest. I know what Im about. Ive thought it over thoroughly. You dont think it too soon, I hope?
Horaces pipe was going out; he held it against his knee and regarded it with unconscious eyes.
I dare say it wont be, said Mr. Lord, when you have found a suitable wife.
Oh, but you misunderstand me. I mean that I have decided to marry a particular person.
And who may that be?
The younger Miss. FrenchFanny.
His voice quivered over the name; at the end he gave a gasp and a gulp. Of a sudden his lips and tongue were very dry, and he felt a disagreeable chill running down his back. For the listeners face had altered noticeably; it was dark, stern, and something worse. But Mr. Lord could still speak with self-control.
You have asked her to marry you?
Yes, I have; and she has consented.
Horace felt his courage returning, like the so-called second wind of a runner. It seemed to him that he had gone through the worst. The disclosure was made, and had resulted in no outbreak of fury; now he could begin to plead his cause. Imagination, excited by nervous stress, brought before him a clear picture of the beloved Fanny, with fluffy hair upon her forehead and a laugh on her never-closed lips. He spoke without effort.
I thought that there would be no harm in asking you to help us. We should be quite content to start on a couple of hundred a yearquite. That is only about fifty pounds more than we have.
Calf-love inspires many an audacity. To Horace there seemed nothing outrageous in this suggestion. He had talked it over with Fanny French several times, and they had agreed that his father could not in decency offer them less than a hundred a year. He began to shake out the ashes from his pipe, with a vague intention of relighting it.
You really imagine, said his father, that I should give you money to enable you to marry that idiot?
Evidently he put a severe restraint upon himself. The veins of his temples were congested; his nostrils grew wide; and he spoke rather hoarsely. Horace straightened his back, and, though in great fear, strung himself for conflict.
I dont seewhat rightto insult the young lady.
His father took him up sternly.
Young lady? What do you mean by young lady? After all your education, havent you learnt to distinguish a lady from a dressed-up kitchen wench? I had none of your advantages. There wasthere would have been some excuse for me, if I had made such a fool of myself. What were you doing all those years at school, if it wasnt learning the difference between real and sham, getting to understand things better than poor folks children? You disappointed me, and a good deal more than I ever told you. I had hoped you would come from school better able to make a place in the world than your father was. I made up my mind long ago that you should never go into my business; you were to be something a good deal better. But after all you couldnt, or wouldnt, do what I wanted. Never mindI said to myselfnever mind; at all events, he has learnt to think in a better way than if I had sent him to common schools, and after all thats the main thing. But here you come to me and talk of marrying a low-bred, low-minded creature, who wouldnt be good enough for the meanest clerk!
How do you know that, father? Whatwhat right have you to say such things, without knowing more of her than you do?
There was a brief silence before Mr. Lord spoke again.
You are very young, he said, with less vehement contempt. I must remember that. At your age, a lad has a sort of devil in him, thats always driving him out of the path of common sense, whether he will or no. Ill try my best to talk quietly with you. Does your sister know what has been going on?
I daresay she does. I havent told her in so many words.
I never thought of it, pursued Mr. Lord gloomily. I took it for granted that everybody must see those people as I myself did. I have wondered now and then why Nancy kept up any kind of acquaintance with them, but she spoke of them in the rational way, and that seemed enough. I may have thought that they might get some sort of good out of her, and I felt sure she had too much sense to get harm from them. If it hadnt been so, I should have forbidden her to know them at all. What have you to say for yourself? I dont want to think worse of you than I need. I can make allowance for your age, as I said. What do you see in that girl? Just talk to me freely and plainly.
After all you have said, replied Horace, his voice still shaky, whats the use? You seem to be convinced that there isnt a single good quality in her.
So I am. What I want to know is, what good you have found.
A great deal, else I shouldnt have asked her to marry me.
A vein of stubbornness, unmistakable inheritance from Stephen Lord, had begun to appear in the youths speech and bearing. He kept his head bent, and moved it a little from side to side.
Do you think her an exception in the family, then?
Shes a great deal better in every way than her sisters. But I dont think as badly of them as you do.
Mr. Lord stepped to the door, and out into the passage, where he shouted in his deep voice Nancy! The girl quickly appeared.
Shut the door, please, said her father. All three were now standing about the room. Your brother has brought me a piece of news. It ought to interest you, I should think. He wants to marry, and out of all the world, he has chosen Miss. Frenchthe youngest. Horaces position was trying. He did not know what to do with his hands, and he kept balancing now on one foot, now on the other. Nancy had her eyes averted from him, but she met her fathers look gravely.
Now, I want to ask you, Mr. Lord proceeded, whether you consider Miss. French a suitable wife for your brother? Just give me a plain yes or no.
I certainly dont, replied the girl, barely subduing the tremor of her voice.
Both my children are not fools, thank Heaven! Now tell me, if you can, what fault you have to find with the young lady, as your brother calls her?
For one thing, I dont think her Horaces equal. She cant really be called a lady.
You are listening?
Horace bit his lip in mortification, and again his head swung doggedly from side to side.
We might pass over that, added Mr. Lord. What about her character? Is there any good point in her?
I dont think she means any harm. But shes silly, and Ive often thought her selfish.
You are listening?
Horace lost patience.
Then why do you pretend to be friends with her? he demanded almost fiercely.
I dont, replied his sister, with a note of disdain. We knew each other at school, and we havent altogether broken off, thats all.
It isnt all! shouted the young man on a high key. If youre not friendly with her and her sisters, youve been a great hypocrite. Its only just lately you have begun to think yourself too good for them. They used to come here, and you went to them; and you talked just like friends would do. Its abominable to turn round like this, for the sake of taking fathers side against me!
Mr. Lord regarded his son contemptuously. There was a rather long silence; he spoke at length with severe deliberation.
When you are ten years older, youll know a good deal more about young women as theyre turned out in these times. Youll have heard the talk of men who have been fools enough to marry choice specimens. When common sense has a chance of getting in a word with you, youll understand what I now tell you. Wherever you look now-a-days theres sham and rottenness; but the most worthless creature living is one of these trashy, flashy girls,the kind of girl you see everywhere, high and low,calling themselves ladies,thinking themselves too good for any honest, womanly work. Town and country, its all the same. Theyre educated; oh yes, theyre educated! What sort of wives do they make, with their education? What sort of mothers are they? Before long, therell be no such thing as a home. They dont know what the word means. Theyd like to live in hotels, and trollop about the streets day and night. There wont be any servants much longer; youre lucky if you find one of the old sort, who knows how to light a fire or wash a dish. Go into the houses of men with small incomes; what do you find but filth and disorder, quarrelling and misery? Young men are bad enough, I know that; they want to begin where their fathers left off, and if they cant do it honestly, theyll embezzle or forge. But youll often find theres a worthless wife at the bottom of it,worrying and nagging because she has a smaller house than some other woman, because she cant get silks and furs, and wants to ride in a cab instead of an omnibus. It is astounding to me that they dont get their necks wrung. Only wait a bit; we shall come to that presently!
It was a rare thing for Stephen Lord to talk at such length. He ceased with a bitter laugh, and sat down again in his chair. Horace and his sister waited.
Ive no more to say, fell from their father at length. Go and talk about it together, if you like.
Horace moved sullenly towards the door, and with a glance at his sister went out. Nancy, after lingering for a moment, spoke.
I dont think you need have any fear of it, father.
Perhaps not. But if it isnt that one, itll be another like her. Theres not much choice for a lad like Horace.
Nancy changed her purpose of leaving the room, and drew a step nearer.
Dont you think there might have been?
Mr. Lord turned to look at her.
How? What do you mean?
I dont want to make you angry with me
Say what youve got to say, broke in her father impatiently.
It isnt easy, when you so soon lose your temper.
My girl,for once he gazed at her directly,if you knew all I have gone through in life, you wouldnt wonder at my temper being spoilt.What do you mean? What could I have done?
She stood before him, and spoke with diffidence.
Dont you think that if we had lived in a different way, Horace and I might have had friends of a better kind?
A different way?I understand. You mean I ought to have had a big house, and made a show. Isnt that it?
You gave us a good education, replied Nancy, still in the same tone, and we might have associated with very different people from those you have been speaking of; but education alone isnt enough. One must live as the better people do.
Exactly. Thats your way of thinking. And how do you know that I could afford it, to begin with?
Perhaps I oughtnt to have taken that for granted.
Perhaps not. Young women take a good deal for granted now a-days. But supposing you were right, are you silly enough to think that richer people are better people, as a matter of course?
Not as a matter of course, said Nancy. But Im quite sureI know from what Ive seenthat theres more chance of meeting nice people among them.
What do you mean by nice? Mr. Lord was lying back in his chair, and spoke thickly, as if wearied. People who can talk so that you forget theyre only using words theyve learnt like parrots?
No. Just the contrary. People who have something to say worth listening to.
If you take my advice, youll pay less attention to what people say, and more to what they do. Whats the good of a friend who wont come to see you because you live in a small house? Thats the plain English of it. If I had done as I thought right, I should never have sent you to school at all. I should have had you taught at home all thats necessary to make a good girl and an honest woman, and have done my best to keep you away from the kind of life that I hate. But I hadnt the courage to act as I believed. I knew how the times were changing, and I was weak enough to be afraid I might do you an injustice. I did give you the chance of making friends among better people than your father. Didnt I use to talk to you about your school friends, and encourage you when they seemed of the right kind? And now you tell me that they dont care for your society because you live in a decent, unpretending way. I should think youre better without such friends.